Playa del Carmen

Axel

Had a great stay overall. The staff was fantastic, the front desk team was welcoming and helpful, and the food exceeded expectations. I especially enjoyed the gourmet dining experiences, the coffee shop, Dolma, and Le Chef. The location is excellent, just a short walk from the lively party area, making it easy to enjoy Playa del Carmen without needing transportation. The only negative experience happened right after check-in. A VIP services representative approached us and was very helpful at first, but the conversation quickly turned into a very persistent attempt to get us to attend an 8 AM breakfast presentation at another hotel. It was a sales pitch snd not a welcome experience, and she became visibly frustrated when I repeatedly declined. One thing future visitors should know is that there was a huge amount of seaweed on the beach during our stay, making swimming in the ocean difficult. We ended up taking tours to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres for clearer water. That said, we understand it’s seasonal and not the hotel’s fault. We simply didn’t know what to expect. Despite those issues, we had a wonderful time and would gladly return on a clean of sea weed month.

Natasha Seabra

We just returned from a fabulous 7-day stay to celebrate a milestone birthday. The staff went above and beyond to make our trip a memorable experience. Special thanks to Gixel who was extremely helpful in planning our special dinners. She made suggestions which helped us enjoy the moonlight dinner as well as the cabanas. Omar was excellent at providing us with the best dinner service. We also had a fabulous spa day and Sheila is a star. All in all, we will return. Cons: seaweed situation which couldn’t be helped and the raccoons roaming the restaurants/grounds

MJ Fuentes

10/10 💗💗💗💗 Words can’t describe how amazing this hotel was! From the food to the service to the rooms, just wow. The all-inclusive experience exceeded expectations. The buffet was delicious with so many good options, and the Asiana restaurant was truly gourmet. The Pad Thai was honestly the best I’ve ever had. The staff was incredibly professional, kind, and understanding. From the moment I stepped into the hotel until the day I left, I felt safe, welcomed, and comfortable. The rooms were spotless, beautiful, and well kept. Room service, bell staff, and everyone we interacted with made the stay even better. 10/10 experience. I already want to book again. Thank you for making this trip such an unforgettable one! I'll be back🥹🌊

Jenny Tink

We had our wedding here, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect experience. From the moment we arrived, every single person treated us with kindness, professionalism, and genuine care. The staff were incredibly friendly and always ready to help with anything we needed. A very special thank‑you to Kevin, who went above and beyond for us throughout our stay. He made us feel truly welcomed and supported during such an important moment in our lives. We also want to thank the captains who helped make everything run smoothly: • José García – in charge of the buffet • Daniel Tuyub – captain for our wedding and the Asiana restaurant All the restaurants were wonderful and incredibly accommodating to all food allergies. It was always asked every restaurant we went to. We also want to give a special thank‑you to Elisa, our wedding coordinator, who helped guide us through every detail and made the whole process so much easier. And a heartfelt thank‑you to the wonderful lady who performed our ceremony — we unfortunately forgot her name, but she was incredibly warm, kind, and made our moment truly special. The hotel itself was beautiful, clean, and comfortable — but what really made our experience unforgettable was the people. They helped make our wedding everything we dreamed of, and we are so grateful for the memories we created here. Thank you to the entire team for making our special day even more special. ❤️

Hiroko Otsuji

We had an amazing family vacation with our two grown children and their spouses. The rooms were perfectly well equipped and the service by the staff was excellent all around. We enjoyed most of the restaurants in site. Our favourite was Pelicano’s for dinner. It’s an open air restaurant close to the sounds of rolling waves of the beach close by. The appetizers were just fabulous and we thoroughly enjoyed the cocktails, too.

Jack Gostling

Good value for the price, but hit-or-miss Overall, this was a pretty good stay considering what we paid, but it definitely has its pros and cons. The highlights were easily the pools and the drinks, which were great. What really made the stay comfortable was the amazing staff—everyone was incredibly friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout our trip. On the downside, the accommodations and dining need work. The rooms are slightly dated, and the bathroom was looking a bit rough. The food was definitely the weakest point—there wasn't much selection, and the quality wasn't good (it really wouldn't be ideal for kids either). Also, keep in mind that if you travel in June, the beach is essentially unusable due to the heavy sargassum seaweed buildup. If you get a good deal and go in with the right expectations, it's an amazing budget-friendly option.

Makena Van Horn

We are about halfway through our two week stay, and in this first week, all I'm wondering is. What hotel are the reviews talking about? Room: Our room has several lights that simply don't work, the AC works half of the time, and the porch has many holes in the thatching caused by the coati running around. Cleanliness: We have seen cockroaches running rampant around Festival. The rooms are kept clean, but the public spaces are being neglected. Food: The food here is incredibly limited. They have four restaurants for dinner and you only have the option of one per day. We've been here in Mexico a week and I haven't been able to have any Mexican food, only Italian and French. The French restaurant was great. The snack bar and bar by the smaller pool (as well as the towel service) has not been open once, which is disappointing since that means you have to walk all the way to the black and white in order to grab a drink, and then all the way to the other pool (which is a trek) in order to get a towel. Inconveniences: There was no warning that the spa would be entirely under construction, which is partially why we booked here in order to have a relaxing spa getaway experience. The staff is a mix of friendly and apathetic, not attempting to make the experience unique at all. This hotel is inconsistent. I wish I was at the hotel everyone else has seemed to experience in these reviews. This has been a very disappointing honeymoon :/

Zdenka Jovic

Long story short: We were there recently with a 3 and 5 year old. 1. No use of the beach as the sea weed is insane. Basically only months where it is ok are from Oct-Dec we were told. 2. In 10 days, there were 2 occasions where there was vomit in the pool. One time it was there for 3 days where noone cleaned it up. 3. Privacy is questionable as we had staff enter our room at 1:30 am due to an AC problem next door. Our kids were sleeping and we were in pure shock that this happened. 4. There was racoon poop on our balcony for 3 days. Noone cared to clean it up until we complained. This is a 5 star hotel. Cleanliness shouldn't be an issue but our room was in need if a deep clean! 5. Photographers are way too expensive, around 600$ for 39 photos. I wouldn't go here again as I've been in Cuba who is a way lesser standard than Mexico with way better experience. We were expecting for a 5 star hotel and amount of money we paid a better service and standard. Very dissapointing.

Joaquin Allen

I was supposed to stay a week here but only lasted 24hrs. It took almost two hours to check in and there were only two people in front of us. When I got to my room it was very dated and unsanitary. I feel it wasn’t turned over just cleaned and not cleaned well. There was open sugar packets on the counter and a used towel hanging from the shower door. The pillows smelt of body odor bad. There was mold behind the bathroom mirror photo added. The other guest were very loud and extremely inebriated. It was like spring break on a Monday night. The staff was not very friendly and accommodating, but I don’t blame them because of obnoxiousness of the clientele, this resort caters too. I’ve stayed in many resorts in the area and this is by far one of the worst. Not only did I immediately check out and move to a different resort. I left that resort with food poisoning. The buffet was extremely unsanitary. They serve hotdog and hamburgers for dinner. The alcohol options seem to be mostly well alcohol. I did not drink. The grounds are nice and the wildlife is abundant. It seems that this resort at one time must’ve been nice in the early 70s. An employee walked into our room without knocking and by the time I made it to the door they said nothing just stared at me. I do have to note that upon checking out the manager did apologize.

Matt Kwan

Never stay at this hotel. My room and the entire block smelled like sewage and to move rooms we had to upgrade which cost us an extra $1000. The person next door had a joining door to my room and my 6 year old son walked into the room next door and saw a man (the door didn't lock). My wife, my 2 kids (ages 6 and 8), and I all got sick either with food poisoning or Norovirus... we never got checked officially by a healthcare professional, but we all experienced diarrhea, vomiting, or both. Every meal was stressful and dissapointing, and aside from poor hot and cold holding food practices, the selection of food was the worst I've ever seen at an all inclusive resort (I am a retired Red Seal Chef). Things tasted off on a regular basis, and we went several meals without finding a single thing we wanted to eat at the buffet. The food quality basically made the trip a write-off. When asked to speak to a manager about my experience, I was told that would not be possible and to just come back later. They didn't even apologize or offer any kind of gesture to fix the problem. When your entire family is sick, it is very angering and frustrating, and everyone was exressing their desires to go home. The hotel was not well maintained in general. The beaches were also covered in seaweed and this made the use of the beach impossible for everyone at the resort (we were told this was a seasonal thing). The one thing that was done well at this resort was the service staff was generally friendly, our kids enjoyed the kids club, and the evening entertainment was surprisingly very good. We will never go back to the Blue Bay Esmeralda; save your money.

Josh

We stayed at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen from March 2–7 and had an absolutely amazing time. From the moment we arrived, the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming everywhere we went. The accommodations were comfortable and well maintained, and the resort itself is beautiful and easy to enjoy. The food throughout the resort was consistently great, with lots of options and something for everyone in our family. One of the biggest highlights of our stay was the kids camp. Our 6-year-old absolutely loved it. She would check the kids club activity schedule and look forward to deciding when she wanted to hang out with mom and dad and when she wanted to go join the fun at the club. The staff there were fantastic and created such a fun and welcoming environment for the kids. They did some really creative crafts and activities, and our daughter made several great friends during the week. It was honestly one of the most memorable parts of the trip for her. Unfortunately I can’t remember all of the staff members’ names from the kids club, but they truly made a big impression on our family and were a major highlight of our stay. Overall we had a wonderful experience and would absolutely recommend The Fives to families visiting Playa del Carmen. We hope to come back again.

Sunflower Studio

Our stay at The Fives was absolutely incredible, and one of the highlights of our entire trip was spending our days relaxing on the Bali beds by the beach. While the beach itself isn’t perfect due to the seaweed in the water, the exceptional service more than made up for it. The real stars of our vacation were Jonathan and Ricardo. From the moment we arrived, they went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. Their attentiveness, friendliness, and genuine care turned an already wonderful vacation into an unforgettable experience. They weren’t just our waiters—they became part of our vacation family. Every day they greeted us with smiles, remembered our preferences, kept the drinks flowing, and made us laugh. They truly made us feel special and cared for. It’s rare to find service that leaves such a lasting impression, but Jonathan and Ricardo did exactly that. They are a huge asset to The Fives and a major reason we can’t wait to return. If you’re staying here, do yourself a favor and reserve a Bali bed—you’ll be treated like royalty. Thank you, Jonathan and Ricardo, for helping create memories our family will cherish for years to come!

Dena Bretz

We just returned home from our full week at The Fives, and it was great. It has all the usual trappings of a family-friendly all inclusive, but also amazing activities that made it feel like a wellness retreat! Huge beautiful beach, multiple pools, plenty of restaurants, but also how-to macrame class, sunset meditations, poolside ice baths, Temazcal (go just trust me!), and at least 3 hours of different fitness classes six mornings of the week. There was also a ton of nature on the over-sized grounds so you could walk through the plaza with music, shops, bars, and restaurants or cut through the cool green jungle path to encounter monkeys, lemers, iguanas and more! This was not at all your usual all-inclusive it was unique in the best ways, and we look forward to being there again!

Jaime Lomeli

This was our first time at The Fives and my first time in an all inclusive resort. Absolutely loved everything from all the beautiful landscapes and restaurants. My two toddlers loved the kids pool and the nightly entertainment. We will definitely come back. Special shout out for Christian Tec by the baly beds. Exceptional service. All the time, always a step ahead of our needs. My dad had a great time talking and interacting with him. Thank you Christian . Also special thanks to Alex Mendoza who was on top of things when it came time to answering our questions and helping us with the ride back to the airport.

William Martin

At the heart of the Fives, it’s not just the walls, the lights, or the luxury that people remember it’s the people who give the place its soul. And for me, that soul was found in a beautiful young lady with a Italian name called Araceli. She hardworking Mexican woman whose dedication spoke louder than words ever could. Her smile welcomed like sunshine through glass doors, her hospitality made strangers feel at home, and her integrity for the job showed in every detail, every conversation, every moment. Because of Araceli, the Fives became more than just a destination it became an experience I’ll never forget. And Ricardo, our ambassador, also made our stay feel special in every way. He made sure we were taken care of through every moment possible, always checking in with kindness and professionalism. His attention, his effort, and the way he represented the Fives did not go unnoticed. We truly appreciated him as well. Together, Araceli and Ricardo showed us what true hospitality looks like. People may remember the beauty of the resort, the views, the atmosphere, the elegance but I’ll remember the people whose kindness made it all feel real. They reminded me that the true greatness of the Fives is not found in the building itself, but in the people like them who make the Fives who they are.